There has been a rapid move towards open plan office spaces for many industries, including those that have typically been office based. With open plan spaces there is a need for the work stations to be reconfigurable to allow flexibility in the use of the space, but to remain aesthetically pleasing. Work stations should accommodate individual worker's requirements, for example, by allowing variability of desk height, lighting position and type, storage location, computer monitor location and the existence or absence of privacy screens. Vertical storage may be used to minimise the footprint of an individual work station in an open plan space. However, such improvements may result in complex mounting arrangements.
Cable management at work stations has become complicated with the use of portable computers, telephone systems including mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Such problems may be compounded as employees move or an individual's requirements change.
Current cubicle-style work stations generally include a partition into which channels are built. The channels house the cables for a work station. The partition may partially support a desk. The cables project out from the partition under the desk, or alternatively power and data points are built into the partition. The location of power points and data cable connection points is typically fixed to a specific location on the partition. Long connection cables must be used to enable flexibility in desk arrangement of electrical devices. External power boards or double adapters are required if there are extra power requirements for a particular work station beyond the fixed number of supplied points.
In conventional office fit-outs using conventional workstations it is common for all of the workstations to be essentially the same. This uniformity of the workstations can lead to wasted materials and resources. For example, conventional cubical arrangements will typically provide a screen from floor height up to eye height all round a work station even if the worker does not require or desire such a high level of screening. The lack of flexibility in the layout and set-up of conventional workstation systems can mean that resources and materials are wasted in providing structures that are not needed by workers.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reconfigurable work station with an improved cable management system that provides flexibility, particularly in terms of cable management and access to power and/or data points.
Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.